


Can I Get a Beat?

by orphan_account



Category: The Get Down (TV)
Genre: Childhood Abuse, M/M, might have mention of sexual abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2018-11-05 19:56:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11020458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Hey, motherfucker!"Soulmate AU where Zeke knows the words tattooed on his chest, loathes them. When he meets Shaolin Fantastic, he assumes the feeling is mutual.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just for fun.

 

 

So _Hey Motherfucker_.

Ezekiel's contemplated the words enough to last him a life time and the conclusion that he comes to is that they don't mean shit.

His mom and pops weren't fated. And yeah, he _knows_ how that turned out. Has to listen to his Tia recount the story nearly daily.

Still, she's stuck with Leon all because she has _Hey Mamacita_ on the inside of her left arm.

Stupid sayings run in their family.

But at least his hadn't been _Hey Nigger_ like his mama's.

So _Hey Motherfucker_ might not have been completely hopeless. Or at least, not until the first day of Kindergarten.

He hadn't known how to read then. No one would tell him his words. 

It was only half way through the school year that he could puzzle the syllables out. When he did he felt like his heart was breaking. 

So the words didn't matter, never mattered, because they didn't belong to Mylene.

 

 

It's just his luck that he hears the words when he's fighting for his very existence, fighting for Mylene's - who is soft and perfect and full of light - love.

It's a fucking _guy_.

That's Ezekiel's first thought. It's not like that's something he didn't know about himself. It's uncommon, frowned upon outside of soulmates, and Zeke can instantly picture his life becoming ten times harder because of it.

So, of course, he doesn't say anything back. Consciously chooses not to and hopes that's enough.

It's a fucking _hoodlum_ is Ezekiel's next thought. The only way it could be fucking worse is if he was a drug dealer.

He wonders if the universe is trying to conspire to pull him down.

The boy is short but broadly set, aggressive. And Zeke _hates_ that. He likes softness and submission, sweet and shy. The boy isn't even that good looking. Objectively Zeke thinks the boy has _a_ good look, is smartly dressed. He has pretty eyes, pretty dark skin and broad well formed cheekbones. But his mouth and his attitude ruin it all.

 

 

He doesn't improve upon him on their second meeting.

There isn't a flinch of recognition when Zeke nearly screeches, " _Right fucking here!_ " but he must know because he doesn't slit Zeke's throat, doesn't beat him up as if he's incapable of it. In fact, he does him a favor.

Zeke makes it clear he has someone else he loves, who he isn't planning on giving up. 

If it had been someone else - a sweet girl from another class maybe - Zeke might be willing to give it a shot. But this boy with his fucking weak punches and fake karate bullshit? He's ridiculous, very nearly a walking caricature. Zeke prefers them dignified.

There's something in his soulmate's eyes though, later, after he's convinced DJ Malibu to spin his record. Something like interest which Zeke staunchly ignores. 

When the bullets start flying his body jerks and for a second he's scanning the crowd and it takes him a second to realize he's looking for his soulmate. He sees him but then there's Mylene. Mylene comes first, always. He gets her friends second. Turns back just in time to see the boy hit the button to turn on the smoke machine, giving people a chance to get away.

Later that night Mylene breaks his heart. She finally, finally - and they've known each other since kindergarten - shows him her words. Tells him it'll never work out.

He thinks he doesn't deserve her.

All he deserves is some pusher - and of course his soulmate is a fucking drug dealer. He'll be damned though if he ends up with one like his mom did.

Something surprising does happen that night. The boy - Shaolin Fantastic - comes to get his record. If Zeke weren't so lost in misery he might actually be impressed. Suddenly Clan of the Dragon Fist makes sense. 

Zeke doesn't feel respect for him exactly, when he comes to their rescue at the party he brought them to, after all they're soulmates and Shaolin seems determined to be at least _something_ to each other so of course he's trying to get on Zeke's good side.

Zeke hates it. He's the one that does the chasing. He is not the one to be sought after.

Still, he figures, out of the two of them Shao is the least to be sought after so it makes some kind of scrambled sense.

 

 

It's probably the weed that gets him into a haze of good feeling. It feels so natural, slipping into familiarity with a boy he's never met before that day. 

"You a natural everything." just slips out. A kind of payback for the nice compliment Shaolin has paid him. 

Natural wordsmith. It sounds like something Zeke wants.

He doesn't mean for the compliment to momentarily light up Shao's face like that. But it catches him up short. And for a second he thinks _maybe_ but then it's passed because Shao brushes it off quickly, and moves on to the next thing.

He's an abrupt creature, a little ridiculous, bursting with energy. Like pop rocks in human form.

Zeke likes it, and the Kiplings can all agree he's cool, even if he doesn't like _Shaolin_ exactly.

 

 

The next few days are the worst in Zeke's life. He's missing Mylene and feeling it with every fibre of his being. 

Shao - and he doesn't even have a fucking name - who doesn't have a fucking name? - does everything in his power to make him forget. Calls Mylene a bitch, a user and a disco duck. 

It's another reason why they will never get together. Zeke doesn't have to put people down to feel good about himself or worse, as part of an agenda, and he certainly doesn't use humiliating language about women. He's over that chauvinistic whore-madonna bullshit.

And then - Mylene is back with her softness and her light and her beautiful voice. She waltzes back into his orbit like she belongs there.

And she does.

 

 

He doesn't intend to forge any kind of relationship with Shaolin, only he's kind of become part of the gang, Kipling-certified.

And the music he's learned to create, the Get Down. It's fucking beautiful. Just as beautiful as any sound coming out of Mylene's mouth.

Zeke keeps that last thought to himself.

It's obvious to everyone, and they fucking tease him when Shao's not around, that Shaolin has a crush on him. He's always a half step away from Zeke, always irritatingly waiting on Zeke's go ahead, listening for his opinion.

Mylene isn't fucking pleased.

 

 

Two pivotal things happen the night of the black out.

He hides a dead kid for Shaolin. Hates the hold Shaolin has over him - realizes it's broader than he ever imagined - and the dirty fucking world he's dragged them into.

Second, he takes solace in Mylene. When he touches her it's like lightning striking in his veins. And he knows it could never be this good, not with Shaolin. Mylene says she's met her soulmate. 

"He isn't someone Papi would approve of." she whispers, "He's a mess, and I think he doesn't even like me. Told me he wasn't no good for me so I should get lost."

He's glad to hear it, however horrible of a person that makes him.

"You need to get away from Shao." Mylene says quietly, "All he does it drag you down."

She doesn't know Shao's his soulmate, no one does. Zeke's glad Shaolin has at least kept that to himself.

She opens her mouth to continue and he distracts her from continuing though with a series of kisses. They get deeper and deeper until they end up making love again.

He could never make love with Shao, who from their first meeting, professed that he doesn't know what love is, doesn't understand it.

 

 

Zeke hums, walks with a spring in his step. 

Shaolin's face predictably sours at the mention of Mylene and something like despair flickers across his face when Boo teases Zeke about getting it on with Mylene. 

"Aren't you too hasty, young'in?" Shao says outside as they share a cigarette, Zeke's amused at the return to that nickname "Isn't she a good fucking church girl?"

Zeke nearly points out Shao's unintentional double entendre. _Good fucking church girl._ But the pure anxiety on Shao's face mutes him.

"What are you in a rush for?" Shaolin asks, "I talk big, but now that you know how it is - well, you know. It ain't good."

Zeke assumes he means relationships.

"I know how to treat a lady Shao." Better than you, is what he doesn't add. "Mylene and I have been on and off since eighth grade. Our relationship is in a good place."

"And you can have all that without - I mean now that you've - she's gonna expect certain things you know?"

It suddenly occurs to Zeke Shaolin is talking about sex. He thinks he smirks. Shao tilts his head down at the sight and Zeke imagines his face must be heating. _It ain't good_? 

But then Zeke thinks of his motives. He isn't some sweet, shy thing warning him about the dangers of quick intimacy and one night stands. He's his soulmate who's trying to manipulate him into putting Mylene on hold. Like he has a say in Zeke's love life.

"Maybe sex ain't good with you _Shao_. Mylene and me, though? We're golden."

 Shao just snuffs his cigarette, says ' _whatever man_ ' under his breath and goes back inside.

Zeke feels inexplicably _guilty_.

And that, more than anything, tells him he has a problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this suxxxx but I couldn't leave it without an ending.

 

 

 

Like the punchline to a joke, Zeke only gets it at the end.

 

 

It's after Ra has officially announced he's found his soulmate. The Get Down Brothers congratulate him, all except for Shaolin. It's kind of a petty move.

"You're not gonna congratulate him Shao?" Zeke asks, brings attention to it.

Shaolin huddles in on himself self-consciously and Zeke feels himself soften. It's uncharacteristically cute.

"Congratu- _fucking_ -lations." Shaolin says, ruining the mood like he sometimes does with his outbursts.

Ra just shrugs, too gone on feel good vibes.

"What you got against soulmates?" Boo asks, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Nothing. I just think it's stupid." Shaolin says and Zeke feels himself freeze.

Is Shaolin saying that because Zeke isn't his?

"Soulmates can be best friends too." Zeke says, words a little tight.

It's odd, to talk about it so blatantly in the open. It's uncomfortable.

"Sure." Shaolin says back, just as tightly.

"Why you so sour? You met your soulmate and they didn't want you or what?" Boo cracks happily.

The effect is anything but. Shaolin's brow furrows and for a second he looks like he's going to cry.

Zeke wants immediately to soothe.

"Fuck you man." Shaolin says, and leaves the room.

 

 

It's probably something they should talk about.

Shaolin's face has been stuck in Zeke's mind all day.

 

 

When he finally finds a good moment - just the two of them - they're up on the roof with Shao's pigeons. Zeke can't help the smile on his face. The gentle way Shaolin coddles the small birds fills him with something warm. It's sweet.

"What are you smiling about?" Shaolin asks, but he smiles too.

Zeke needs to tell him the truth.

"I don't need you Shaolin, not like you need me." He says, words a little apologetic.

They cause Shaolin to falter.

"Who said I needed you?" Shaolin's defensive, and Zeke had expected that, "Not _me_. I don't fucking need you."

"Just listen -" Zeke starts, puts his hands up as if calming an animal but it doesn't work.

Shaolin's already making his way down and Zeke has to follow him.

"So what?" Shaolin spits, a little shaky, "You fucking leaving The Get Down Brothers?"

"No." Zeke says and that seems to calm him.

They stop in the landing.

"Mylene and I have been growing apart but that doesn't mean - I can't be everything you want."

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about Books." Shaolin says and seems content to let it rest at that.

Zeke let's him have it.

 

 

Shaolin's still smitten. Everyone can see it. Even Zeke sometimes, with that look of painful fondness Shaolin aims at him.

It makes Zeke feel bad.

For the first time he can acknowledge Shaolin is softer than Zeke had thought he was - that he's sweeter too. That maybe they are a partial match.

It doesn't matter though, because he has Mylene.

He doesn't worry about Jackie because he trusts her.

It feels wrong that he hasn't told her yet - about Shaolin being his soulmate. Especially when she's trusted him. Only, she already hates Shaolin so much already.

Besides their love has to be stronger than any soulmates - it's something they've both chosen.

 

 

Zeke doesn't realize he's being naive.

 

 

It's at Shao's palace, with the Kipling Brothers and Napoleon, when it happens. Dizzie shares his mark, tells everyone about Thor. Then Napoleon and Boo share theirs. Ra's mark everyone has already seen. Zeke brushes it off when they ask about his and Boo makes a crack about Mylene.

Napoleon asks Shao and Zeke freezes.

Shaolin looks uncertain. Even looks up at Zeke.

It's impossible that Shaolin would expose them after all this time.

Shaolin just shrugs and says he doesn't want to and that seems to be the end of it until Boo opens his big mouth and tells Shaolin anyone would be lucky to have him.

"Well..." Shaolin begins, unsure - _shy_.

Zeke's heart is racing too fast to find pleasure in the fact.

Shaolin _wouldn't_.

But then Shaolin is getting up and pulling at his belt.

"It's kind of...muddled. It's on my hip." He says, as if he isn't about to tear their lives apart.

"I'll help you read it." Says Boo, ever helpful.

"..stop..." Zeke says weakly, but they don't hear him.

They're all entranced, waiting for Shao to bare that little strip of skin.

He hears Boo hiss in surprise and it brings him to motion.

"Stop!" He says, stomps forward and knocks Shao's hands away from his own waist, "Who could want you anyway?"

The last part is said to be hurtful, to get back at Shao for doing _this_. It's the only weapon Zeke has against him.

He realizes much too late.

He only gets the briefest glimpse of it.

The words are illegible - so covered are they by cigarette burns.

 

 

Zeke tortures himself with that fact that even had they all been able to read the words - none of them could have known anyway, not really.

Shaolin ghosts and no one hears about him for days. Annie's club turns them all out so Zeke figures he has to be there.

He breaks up with Mylene and she takes it calmly. She's with Jackie the day after.

Zeke can barely bring himself to think about it so stuck is he on Shaolin.

He re-evaluates every moment since they've met. Regrets everything.

Shaolin is sweet and shy and soft and more than everything that Zeke could ever want and it's all too late.

His chest physically hurts when he thinks about it.

Zeke asks around - asks everyone he knows and even people he doesn't. The Kipling brothers help him. They call him an asshole, but they help him.

They discover a lot of discomforting information.

How Shaolin has lived on the street since he was a boy, how he was a beggar - beaten and mistreated - until Annie took an interest in him. They find out what kind of interest it is and Zeke feels _sick_.

Shaolin would rather return to his abuser - to what he knows - than face Zeke's callous and hurtful remark. The significance of it isn't lost on Zeke.

They find out Shaolin's real name is Curtis and that his father would put cigarettes out on his skin for fun, since he was a baby.

Shaolin has never seen his words, has never known them.

Zeke is a cold-hearted bastard.

Shaolin's shy and reluctant regard lingers in the back of his mind.

 

 

Zeke doesn't give up - can't.

And just like that Shaolin turns up the next week. He acts like nothing is wrong, like nothing happened.

"Hey my brothers." He says coolly and slaps Boo on the back.

He has smiles for everyone but he can't quite bring himself to look at Zeke.

"I had business to attend. Trust you didn't miss me too much." Shao says jokingly.

"We did. We missed you." Boo says, serious.

Zeke doesn't press right then, because he's worried Shaolin will run.

The Kipling brothers don't press either. They're a little warmer, a little clingier - but Shaolin shrugs it off with a soft flush and pretends not to notice.

 

 

Boo and Ra are passed out on Shao's couch. Shao is still spinning, forcing himself to continue. It's the only way he can avoid having to have a conversation with Zeke.

"I'll see you cats later." Dizzie says, waving sloppily on his way out.

"Fine." Shao says, stingy and short.

It's apparent he doesn't want to be alone with Zeke and he does a good job of ignoring him for the next fifteen minutes before he slides his earphones off.

"I'm going to bed." He says and slips past.

Zeke follows him to the bedroom.

"What are you doing in here Books? I told you, I'm going to bed." Shaolin is wary.

It hurts to see him that way.

"I want to show you my words." Zeke says.

"I don't want to see them." Shaolin shoots back. "Can you get out? I want to go to bed."

"They say 'Hey Motherfucker'." Zeke continues.

Instead of an epiphany though Shaolin just shakes his head.

"So Mylene called you a motherfucker, huh? I guess she's hipper than I gave her credit for." Shaolin's mouth is turned down into a frown.

"They're your words Shao." Zeke says quietly, words sticking to his throat.

Shaolin stops short. He looks flabbergasted and it takes him a while to get some words together.

"...that...that can't be true" he says, like it hurts him to say, denying the possibility.

"I'm an idiot." Zeke admits gently, "I thought you were - outing us. I didn't mean what I said."

Shaolin looks astonished. Something a little lost - betrayed. Zeke sways forward minutely, he wants so badly to wrap his arms around Shao. He wants to make it better.

"You and Mylene - " Shao protests.

"We were together before that. I was stupid enough to think having a soulmate wouldn't matter - "

"Doesn't matter." Shao says, stricken, "You chose her."

There's a moment before his expression collapses that Shao looks like something painfully resembling hopeful. But then he starts crying and Zeke does move forward.

"n-never thought I'd get to meet my - and they still wouldn't want me." Shao laughs then, bitterly.

Zeke shushes him and holds him close.

"I want you." He says it over and over in Shaolin's ear until his sobs peter out.

Shao doesn't pull away from his embrace, just leans tiredly into him.

"And Mylene?" he asks.

"It's just me and you." Zeke answers, leans down to kiss his brow. "This is where I belong."

"I don't remember...your words to me." Shao admits softly, snuggles shyly into his chest.

" _Right fucking here_." Zeke says, kisses the top of his head and holds him tight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
